Cifra
by Rukatofan
Summary: Takato is 22 years old. The love of his life left him one year ago, and he spends his days alone at work and at home. But something is about to happen that will change his life forever. (Rukato/Mature. Lots of lemons in the chapters to come.)
1. Chapter 1

**~Cifra~**

Chapter One

-o-

Disclaimer: This story is purely fanfiction. Digimon and all its characters do not belong to me in anyway.

Warning: This story contains mature content and sexual themes. Please do NOT read unless you are 18 years or older.

-o-

_Aliens had come to Earth. _

_There was a lot of news, a lot of politics, and a whole lot of paranoia about it, ranging from fanatics who said the End Times had come, to peace-loving masses of people who insisted we welcome them with open arms. But no one really knew anything. What did they look like? What did they want? Where did they come from? No one knew, except that word was out that aliens had come and were hiding among us, disguised._

_Eventually, the fuss died down and everyone went back to their lives, as though it never happened. But we all had that thought at the back of our minds…_

…_what if this was just the beginning? _

-o-

I stared at myself in the mirror, fixing my tie and suit so that they were just right, before sighing and heading out the door of my apartment and walking toward the bus stop. Like everyday, I would most likely get to work early and then make reports all day, get takeout on the way home, and then work overtime until it was time to go to bed. But that was my life. I'd been a working man at a large corporation since graduating college at the age of twenty-one, lived alone, and really had no social life. Yeah I got sucked into my work, but I really wanted a promotion. I could worry about social life after I had money to spare.

Still, it was a pretty lonely life for a twenty-two year old guy.

I stopped at my usual convenience store to buy lunch, grabbing the same instant ramen and onigiri, and walked to the counter with a sigh as I contemplated my life. Was I even happy? Did it really matter?

"Welcome, Takato-san," the girl at the counter greeted me with a shy smile as she rang up my lunch. "How are you today?"

"The same," I told her, smiling back. I'd told her every day that I was fine, and sometimes I just didn't feel like repeating it. She was cute, but she was in high school. And I wasn't looking for a relationship with someone that much younger than me. "How are you?"

"I'm good too," she giggled. "Enjoy your lunch!"

I bowed my head respectfully, thanked her, and continued on my way to the bus stop. All I could think about, though, was how monotonous my life had become. Why did growing up suddenly suck the life out of me? For probably the hundredth time that month, I thought back to the days of my youth, when Henry and Rika and I saved the world from the D-Reaper, my crazy high school days, and my four years at college. Most of all, I thought back to my brief but memorable relationship with the girl of my dreams.

Rika.

I sighed, pausing a moment as I remembered. I was early for the bus anyway, so I had time to dawdle and reminisce.

We had gone to the same business college, and competed through all of our classes to be the best. Most students in Japan try not to stand out. We all have to be perfect, but we all have to be the same. It's the unspoken law. But Rika and I were different. We had our own law, and that was to compete with each other on everything, not because we disliked each other, or even because we were rivals. It was because we loved each other, and everything was like a competition that just got us to be more and more crazy about one another.

We dated our last year of college, and I really thought that our relationship would last. I was ready to ask her to move in with me.

And then… then suddenly it was all over. Rika broke up with me, said she loved me, but things could never work out for us. Things had changed, and we had to move on with our lives. It came out of nowhere.

How could she do that to me?

I sighed again, holding my head momentarily, and then remembered I needed to catch my bus. So I kept walking, heart-heavy and depressed. It might have been easier to deal with if Rika and I hadn't both been hired by the same company. But I was forced to see her almost every day in passing, and not be with her. She didn't so much as acknowledge that she knew me when we passed in the hall, or stood on the elevator together.

So why didn't I transfer to a different building? I shook my head, scoffing at myself inwardly. Because I couldn't bear to not see her. It was a torture that I would rather live with, than live without.

"I guess that makes me pretty pathetic," I told no one, walking down an empty street. But I didn't care. I would always love Rika, and work was the only thing I had that kept me close to her.

"Help! Help, somebody help me, please!" someone cried out, startling me out of my thoughts. I looked up in alarm to see a woman running at top speed toward me.

It was so random, I just stood there for a second in shock. But it took less than that for me to snap back to reality and take stock of the situation. I could see her running frantically away from the scariest dog I had ever seen in my entire life. It was black with reddish brown fur on its legs and snout, and it was almost as tall as my waist. Its fangs were pulled back to show its sharp teeth, and it was clearly catching up to her. I had merely seconds to act.

The second she ran past me, I slipped into the path between her and the dog, swinging my briefcase as hard as could. My timing was perfect. With a well aimed blow, I whacked that dog as hard as I could, sending it backwards so that it rolled and landed roughly against the wall of a building beside us. I didn't wait to see if it would get back up and attack me. You have to catch dogs while they're surprised. Stepping forward with as much authority as I could muster, I pointed at the dog with my finger. "No!" I yelled at it harshly. "Bad dog! Bad, _bad_ dog! Go home! _Now_!"

My tone and stance, mixed with the initial surprise of being knocked off its feet, rendered the dog utterly terrified and defeated. It scrambled back to its feet and ran away as fast as its legs would carry it. Only when it was completely gone did I turn to see if the woman was alright.

I saw her collapsed on the sidewalk, breathing heavily. "Are you alright?" I asked in alarm, hurrying toward her and raising her to her feet. She was shaking so hard, I had to hold her upright until her body was able to take control and stand on its own. "What happened? Why was it chasing you? Are you able to walk?"

She apologized profusely, bowing and insisting she had been a burden to me and was in my debt, but I ignored that and assured her that everything was fine. It took a great deal of comforting before she became calm enough to leave. "Thank you," she said, when she was composed. Her eyes were still brimming with tears. "I think it might have killed me if you hadn't stopped it!"

"Well I'm glad you're alright. Carry some pepper spray with you, just for safety," I told her honestly. "Alright?"

She laughed, tiredly. "Yes, I will," she told me. After that she hurried away, and I had to rush to catch my bus. Almost missed it, too, but I ran up just in time to slip through the doors before they closed.

As I took a spot and let out a sigh, I shook my head and chuckled under my breath. "Well, this day was interesting, at least."

-o-

It was time for a meeting with my marketing group about one our products that had been having a decline in sales, but our boss was late. Normally he would have killed us if any of us were even a minute late, so we just sat in the conference room feeling awkward. On rare occasions like this, nervous conversation would break out, as though we felt the need to be discussing _something_. Today, that conversation was about pets.

"I heard Nakamura-san got a pet yesterday," the marketing director began. She obviously took a great interest in it, or she wouldn't have brought it up. "It seems that he takes it with him everywhere, too."

"Perhaps that's why he's late," Kimura-san supplied, glancing at the clock before touching his chin thoughtfully. "It seems he brought it with him, today."

I frowned slightly as I thought about it. Lately, it seemed many people were getting pets, and bringing them everywhere. Even here at our building, we had people bringing their dogs, cats, and even birds into the office. It didn't make any sense. This was a high-class business, so things like pets shouldn't be allowed in the building, but for some reason, it seemed like none of the managers cared.

"Forgive me for my lateness," our boss said, suddenly entering he room. He looked just a hair disheveled, and it sounded like he was out of breath. "I was held up. Shall we begin?"

The meeting began promptly, but I found myself distracted by his appearance. I couldn't get the thought out of my head that something seemed odd about him. His eyes looked nervous, and though he seemed to catch his breath again in a few minutes, I could tell that he was struggling to disguise acute exhaustion.

I then noticed that he had a little bird sitting on his shoulder. There was no anklet around its foot, its wings weren't clipped, and it had nothing to keep it from flying around, but for some reason, there didn't need to be. It just sat there, perfectly content to be silent and listen to its master's voice.

It was pretty cute.

Forcing myself to stop thinking about how bizarre that was, I focused on the meeting as best I could.

(-)

"See you again tomorrow, Matsuda-san," my coworkers called, leaving the building together. The people from my marketing group were going out for dinner and drinks again, and though they had tried to invite me, I still had a report to put together before tomorrow. I didn't like doing things last minute, and I preferred to get it done today. Therefore, I had once again turned them down.

"Right, tomorrow then," I replied good-naturedly, smiling. "Have fun!"

Shaking their heads at me, they entered the elevator and let me alone to do my work. I hardly noticed, getting immersed in the details of my report. There was so much to do, and so much to not think about, that an hour passed without my even noticing it passing.

Finally finished, I cleaned up my desk, printed the report, and placed it in a folder. It was the last thing I had to do, meaning I could go home and take the rest of the night off. As I set the report in my boss's inbox and left the building, making sure the door was locked behind me, I let out a sigh and tried to figure out what I was supposed to do for the rest of the evening. "Maybe I should have gone with them," I mused, wondering if it would have been fun. But it was too late now.

On nights like these, I tended to wander. There really wasn't much for me to do, except try a new place for dinner and sit down in a public park and watch people walk by. It was kind of fun, in a way, especially since it often inspired me in my work, too. Marketing was a career that constantly required new inspirations and ideas, and coming up with them was hard work. I had long since found that watching people in a crowded place could often give me ideas for what was trending, what people liked and disliked, and all other sorts of things. I always had a notebook with me so I could write down thoughts or make sketches. It was one reason why I was so successful at my job. The best part was that in Japan, most people made a point of minding their own business, and didn't even notice I was observing them.

Walking through the city as I thought about how interesting people can be, I found myself distracted by a delicious smell, and turned to see a ramen shop on the corner of the block. It was one I hadn't been to before, but the smell was so incredible, I had to try it out. A few seconds later and I was in the door, ordering a large bowl.

It was the best ramen I had ever tasted in my life.

Two bowls later, I sat back in my chair and let out a contented sigh. "That was incredible," I said to the owner, grinning and bowing respectfully. "I think I'll have to make this place a new regular stop for me!"

The owner bowed back, pleased. "Come any time!" he said cheerfully. "Bring your friends!"

I laughed, but didn't really respond to that. Maybe someday I'd bring friends, but for now it would just be me. Paying for my meal and leaving the shop, I turned back so that I could make a mental note of the location and name of the shop. "Shuuji no Ramen," I read out loud, chuckling. "So the owner's name is Shuuji, huh? Good place. I'll have to come back tomorrow, too. It's pretty close to work, I wonder why I didn't know about it until now?"

"It's fairly new," someone replied, startling me. I turned in surprise and found myself staring at Rika, the last person in the world I had expected to see. She had shopping bags in her hands, and was headed toward the ramen shop as I was headed out of it.

We stood there a moment, tension between us, until I realized she was about to walk away. Desperate to keep the conversation going, I spoke up. "That explains it then," I said cheerfully, trying to play it casual. "It's very good, though. Have you been there?"

"I have," she said slowly, glancing at it. "But I usually get my meals to go."

"Probably smart," I smiled. "I went in to get one bowl, and ended up eating two."

She smiled back. "Typical."

We stood there awkwardly for a few more seconds, before she began to walk again. "Nice to see you again, Matsuda-san," she said, and walked into the shop.

I stared at her till she was out of sight, feeling distressed. _You used to call me Takato, _I thought sadly. But I turned and went on my way. She didn't want to spend any more time with me, and I loved her too much to try and push her. I just wished I understood why.

Walking nowhere in particular, I found myself at a park with a large fountain, and taking a seat on the concrete wall of the pool, I stared at my reflection in the water. How did my life turn out like this? Why, Rika? _Why?_

I was never going to be happy, was I?

Growling broke my train of thoughts, and I turned to find the same dog that I had scared away this morning standing about ten feet away from me, snarling. It was crouched, walking toward a small black housecat with stiff legs and barred teeth, eyes red with fury. I was so surprised to see it again—in a completely different part of the city—that I just stared at it. But then I saw that it was about to kill a helpless cat, and I suddenly felt protective.

It looked terrified, like it couldn't move as it just stared into the dog's eyes. Seeing it frozen like that, stiff and unmoving while its life was in danger, made me feel a sudden rush of emotion—like I _had _to protect it. Maybe it was just my frustration at not being able to be with Rika that made me act so rashly, but with a loud cry I dashed forward and kicked the dog away from the helpless cat.

Ohhhh man, was that dog angry! Yelping in surprise and scrambling to keep its footing, it turned its red-glaring eyes upon me with a look of fury and recognition. The cat now forgotten, it focused its attention on me, circling me and growling so ferociously, I felt terror welling up inside me. I tried to move…and with a jolt of surprise, found that I could not.

I was frozen.

_What's happening to me? _I thought frantically, sweating with dread. Why couldn't I get up and run? Or fight? It wasn't like me to do nothing! Was it influencing me somehow? Was that even possible? The only explanation was its eyes, swirling vortexes of rage that somehow had me rooted in place. It was like I was trapped as long as I was looking into them. But…was that even possible? Struggling with all my might, I forced myself to tear my eyes away from the vicious beast, and suddenly everything happened at once.

The dog leapt at me, jaws wide open with dripping fangs. I threw up my briefcase as a shield and blocked my face, and then kicked it with my foot. It was thrown to the side, yelping in pain and anger, and then back on its feet more enraged than ever.

Panting, I prepared myself to fight back, holding my briefcase in one hand and pulling out my cell phone with the other. If I just called the police, they could come and take the dog away. Or shoot it, I didn't care. Heck, I just wanted that thing gone forever!

Circling me and growling, the dog tried to stare into my eyes again, almost _willing _me to look into them and get paralyzed again. I resisted, freaked out and anxious, as my thumb dialed the emergency number. But just before I could press the button to dial it, the dog leapt again, faster than ever. I swung at it, managing to avoid getting bit, but the phone slipped out of my hands and fell into the fountain with a plop. Groaning, I realized that I didn't have time to fish it out while the dog was snapping at me every second, which meant it was probably ruined. But it took all of my concentration just to fend the dog off, and I was quickly losing energy.

It was a losing battle, and we both knew it. How could I have been so stupid?

_I'm not going to let some dog beat me, _I thought desperately. _Not after all the times Guilmon and I fought with powerful digimon. This should be a piece of cake, right? _I repositioned myself, glaring at the dog with all my might. "Alright listen up, you monster," I panted. "You are not going to kill this cat, and you are not going to kill me. You got that?" It just growled at me, staring at me like I was some kind of idiot. Maybe I was, but I didn't care. I had something to fight for again. "Now get out here," I ordered, putting authority in my tone.

It growled, crouching down and pulling its fangs back from its teeth as though mocking me. In a second, it would leap again.

"I said, GET OUT OF HERE!" I yelled, running forward and thrashing at it with my briefcase, trying to hit it with each swing. The dog was quick though, and dodging expertly, it slipped around and dove behind me, and then suddenly, it leapt at my face. I barely had time to bring my case up to protect my face before its jaws snapped shut around my arm, tearing it open. Gasping in shock, I kicked it with all my might, falling backwards as it let go of me and jumped out of reach.

My arm hurt like hell. Panting heavily and suddenly fearing for my life, I looked up to see it crouched once more, about to leap. I was going to die!

_**Now, now, Dygon, you're not trying to kill my human, are you? **_A voice that I could hear in my head instead of with my ears spoke commandingly, causing both myself and the rabid dog to freeze and listen. I couldn't see where it was coming from, and exhausted as I was, I couldn't make sense of what it was saying. All I could think about was how sudden it had been, and how relieved I was that for at least a few more seconds, I was still alive.

And then my brain caught up. _Wait…kill my human? What the heck? What does that even mean?_

"_**He is not your human," **_the dog growled back angrily.

I froze in shock, unable to even think. What... The... Heck? The dog bite was getting to me. I was going insane! I had contracted rabies, and I was going insane. There's no way a dog can speak. Right?

As if to defy me, the dog itself circled closer, and spoke again. _**"He is not anyone's human, and I am going to kill him!" **_it snarled through its blood-drenched fangs.

_**He is my human, **_the first voice replied, sounding bored and matter-of-fact. I still couldn't see where it was coming from, or who was speaking, but I was too freaked out to even look. As it spoke, though, I noticed that the authority in its tone made it impossible to dismiss, and I almost found myself believing it. _**I have chosen him. Today, actually. Or rather, just now. **_

"_**He is not Claimed," **_The dog snarled. _**"If you want him, you have to defeat me first!" **_

_**So be it. **_The voice replied, and to my astonishment, the very cat that I had jumped in to protect walked up to us from behind me, and seated itself between us with an air of importance. Casually it glanced over at me, and its piercing green eyes bored into mine. Then he turned back to the dog. _**I have watched long enough, Dygon. Fight me if you must, but the end is already decided. He is mine. And the likes of you cannot best me. **_

"_**We will see," **_the dog growled, crouched lower, and then leapt.

The fight happened too fast for my eyes to follow. They were tearing at each other, thrashing and diving with blurred movements and dreadful snarls, so that I had a hard time trying to breathe while watching it. A few times they pulled apart, as if assessing one another to see how much damage had been done, before leaping once more into a frenzied battle of teeth and claws.

In the end, Dygon the dog ran away limping, leaving a trail of blood behind him. It was to my astonishment that the cat returned to me, completely unscathed. How was that even possible?

_**That Dygon is weak, **_the cat's voice resounded in my head once more, sounding amused and pleased with himself. _**Weak for our kind, that is. For a mere human to attack him and last this long is quite a feat in itself. You should be proud of yourself. **_

I pulled myself back a few inches, trembling. "What…are you?" I asked, my mind barely on the edge of freaking out. Maybe it was the loss of blood, the adrenaline, or the intense pain in my arm that made me feel like I was losing it. But if things got much worse, I would probably faint for the first time in my entire life!

The cat cocked its head to the side, studying me patiently, and proceeded to clean its claws like any normal cat would. After a moment of silence, it responded. _**I am Erus. **_

"Erus is your name?" I asked, my voice fumbling.

_**Erus is my Kind. Just as Human is your Kind. **_It's strikingly intelligent eyes looked bored. _**I do not have a name. **_

"Wait…so you're not a cat?" I squeaked. What did it mean? It couldn't possibly be saying that it was a…. it was an… an alien? Could it? I swallowed, shock gripping my stomach. "You're an alien?" I whispered.

It closed its eyes and smiled in that cute, sly way that only cats can. _**Yes, **_its voice responded in my head. _**I am. **_

I almost did faint then. But luckily, my resolve is stronger than that. Forcing myself to breathe and trying to remain calm, I cradled my torn arm against my chest and begin to shiver violently. My brain could barely work it out. The cat was an alien, which meant the dog was an alien too, which meant that all those stories about aliens hiding among us were true…and now….now what?

What had it said to that dog? That I was its human? WHAT?

I pulled myself to my feet shakily. "I need to go to a hospital," I said blankly. "Thank you for protecting me from that dog. Good bye." I turned and began to walk swiftly away. To my distress, the cat—or Erus, whatever it was—followed me as casually as if it was supposed to. I felt that if I had tried to run, it probably would have just run after me easily. Why wouldn't it leave me alone?

_**I should probably be thanking you, **_it said at length, trotting along beside me with its tail arched high in the air with elegant poise. It almost seemed to be enjoying this. _**It was very thoughtful of you to defend me like that. **_

"Well, it doesn't seem like you needed it," I sighed. Since it wouldn't leave, it couldn't hurt to talk to it, right? "You're the one who saved me!"

_**All the same, it was a nice feeling. I've never had anyone try to protect me before. It was…pleasant. **_It purred, a genuine, feline purr of contentment, and I felt myself softening at the sound. I had always liked the sound of a cat's purr.

I reached the nearest emergency clinic and entered inside, relieved to find that the cat did not come with me. Though it took me a couple of hours, I managed to get my arm cleaned and wrapped up, and the doctor gave me a sling and some pain medicine, as well as an anti-biotic. They gave me a shot just in case, and told me to come back in if I became sensitive to light or water, and sent me home. I was relieved to get out of there, and more exhausted than I'd felt for as long as I could remember.

The cat was waiting for me outside the clinic as soon as I exited, and it purred as soon as it saw me. I sighed, shaking my head as it began to follow me on my way home. "Look, I appreciate your help back there, but I need to go home, and I can't take you with me, alright?"

It looked up at me with an expression that was amused and patronizing. _**I think there's something you don't understand, **_it said with a purr. _**You don't have a choice in the matter, human. You see, I am Erus, and I have chosen you to be my human. I'm coming home with you whether you like it or not. **_

I froze, a feeling of alarm and wariness growing inside me. "Hold on a second…that's not how these things work. This is our planet, you know. You can't come here and make rules like this!"

_**It's so amusing how oblivious you are, **_the cat replied, its voice suddenly powerful in my head. It was heavy, like a throbbing force of energy that swept away my ability to control my own thoughts, and I found myself unable to argue or fight against it. _**But you will soon learn to understand. From this day forward, I am your Erus, and you will be my Cifra. **_

I stumbled, nearly falling over from the weight of his will over me. I couldn't even ask what he meant. As if in a daze, I continued my way home, too shocked to even care that the cat was with me as I got on the bus, and with me when I got off and walked to my apartment. In bewilderment I unlocked the door and went inside, waiting to close and lock the door until the cat had followed after me. Then I simply walked to my room and collapsed on my bed, too freaked out to even think.

To my great relief, I fell asleep a few minutes later.

(-)

_The first chapter of a new story finished, and a crazy new plot is on its way. I hope that it isn't too confusing, and that the foreshadowing will make sense later on as things become clear. I do hope that you will let me know what you think, and that you will take the time to tell me how you think it can be improved.  
_

_For the sake of the flow and feel of the story, I'm going to keep my Afterwards as short as possible. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, and I hope that you enjoy it. Till next time!_

_~Rukatofan_


	2. Chapter 2

**~Cifra~**

Chapter Two

-o-

Disclaimer: This story is purely fanfiction. Digimon and all its characters do not belong to me in anyway.

Warning: This story contains mature content and sexual themes. Please do NOT read unless you are 18 years or older.

Thanks to woowoo13 and my Guest reviewer for their reviews, and too all my buddies who fav'd or watched this story! This chapter is dedicated to you.

-o-

When I woke up, I was still in my clothes, and the cat was sleeping on my chest, curled into a little ball. At first I thought that I was still dreaming, but all too soon the pain in my stiff arm reminded me that everything that had happened was far too real.

I had been bitten by a rabid dog, and an alien cat was now living in my apartment with me.

What the hell?

Groaning from the stiffness in my body, I sat up slowly, using my uninjured arm to carefully pick up the cat and set him on my bed beside me. Though the action woke him, he did not complain, but simply readjusted himself and went back to sleep. That left me to get ready for the day in peace. It was slightly difficult to shower with my bandaged arm, and dress into a nice business suit, but the endless days of practice made it easier.

Finally ready, I took my banged up briefcase and opened the door, preparing to head on my way to work. To my surprise, the cat jumped onto my shoulders and perched there, as thought intending to come with me! I closed the door and turned my head so I could look at him sharply. "You're staying here," I said commandingly.

His green eyes were so intense, they instantly made me feel inferior. **_Oh? _**His voice asked in my head, amused. **_What makes you think that? _**

"Because I have to go work, and we can't take animals to work," I insisted, scowling at him.

He flicked his tail so that it brushed against my cheek. **_You innocent little human, _**he replied patronizingly, as though he thought I was just being cute. **_You really don't understand the situation, do you? _**

I didn't reply, instead glaring at him until he enlightened me.

**_You see, although it is not widely known by your kind, we Erus have already conquered your planet, _**he obliged good-naturedly. **_Every ruling government in every country of your Earth has surrendered nearly twelve years ago, although they chose to keep it a secret for as long as possible. Something about trying to preserve peace and let the civilians experience life as they always wished it could be, or something. _**

I listened, respectfully, but refused to believe it. How could what he was saying be true? "So then, what do you want?" I demanded. "Why disguise yourselves as animals? What do you want from us?"

He purred, rubbing his face against my cheek almost affectionately—as though he approved of my asking him that. **_We're not that aggressive, don't worry, _**he thought to me reassuringly. **_As Erus, we need Cifras. Humans are Cifras, and there are billions of you, so it made sense for us to come here. As you cannot resist us, everything fell into place smoothly. _**

"You're being vague on purpose," I accused, crossing my arms carefully so that I didn't bump my injured one. "Don't think you can confuse me. Look, you aliens may be on our Earth and whatnot, but I still have to go to work, and I can't bring an animal to work. So just stay here, and I'll see you later."

**_Oh? _**It asked again, digging its claws suddenly into my shoulder. **_I think you'll find that you can bring me to work with you just fine. I will not be separated from you, now that I have you. You'll just have to get used to it, Cifra. _**

The word Cifra was starting to irk me. But as I was already nearing being late for my bus, I open the door and hurried outside, locking it behind me. "I have a name," I grumbled at the cat, annoyed that it was being vague and confusing. What did it mean by calling humans Cifras? And what did their race Erus have to do with it? I kept feeling like it was leaving out important details.

Still clinging to my shoulder regardless of how swiftly I was walking, the cat just purred. **_Yes, I understand that all humans have names they call each other. I suppose you prefer me to call you by it? _**

I huffed, rolling my eyes. "Yes," I complained. Then as an afterthought, added, "It's Takato."

**_Takato. _**The Erus on my shoulder purred, genuinely glad to say it.

And for some reason, it gave me a certain pleasure to hear him say my name. It was a little weird. "What about you?" I asked momentarily. I didn't have time to stop in at the convenience store for lunch, but that was alright. I could get lunch somewhere closer to work today. "What is your name?"

**_I do not have one, _**the cat yawned. **_Erus is fine. _**

"Well I wouldn't want to be called Human," I pointed out. "Why don't you have one?"

**_None of us do. We do not need them, for we recognize each other, and our Cifras recognize us. _**

"But that dog was one of you, right?" The cat nodded once. "He had a name," I pointed out.

To my surprise, the cat chuckled—a weird, feline-like chuckle that was almost a purr. **_Silly Takato, _**he replied, and licked my cheek with his raspy cat tongue. It sent a weird, brief tingle of pleasure down my spine. **_Dygon is not his name. It is an insult. _**

"Oh…" I murmured, and fell into silence. My bus arrived, and I got onto it quickly, mind churning with all kinds of thoughts and questions. In the end, we did not speak again until after I had gotten off my bus, walked to my building, and entered it with my thoughts a blur. It almost seemed like time flew by too quickly to notice. But that can happen when you get lost in your thoughts.

**_What do you do at your job? _**The cat asked, startling me.

I glanced at him, feeling awkward. I was already in the building, heading toward the elevator, and wasn't sure if I should answer him in public. What would people think? But I felt obliged to reply anyway. "I'm in marketing," I said under my breath. "It's my job to convince people to buy our products through ads and other means, and to make reports on how successful each of our campaigns are. It's a little hard to explain."

**_Hmmm. I see. _**He nodded, and was content to leave me alone for a while.

As I entered the elevator, my coworkers entered with me, talking to each other about karaoke and dinner the night before. When they saw me, I instantly became the object of their attention. "Matsuda-san!" Kimura-san cried. "Look at you! What happened to your arm? Did you get in a fight last night?"

"You have a cat?" a woman asked. She was new at our company, and hadn't been there that long, so I couldn't remember her name at that moment. "He's so beautiful…"

I smiled good-naturedly. "Ah, yes I found this stray cat last night after dinner," I explained. "There was a dog chasing it, so I fought off the dog and kept the cat."

"Oh so that's why your arm is in a sling?" Kimura snickered. "Brave of you to fight off a dog. Those things scare me. But I don't know if it's a good idea to bring your pet to work…"

"I know…but he's just getting used to me," I shrugged. "Could you leave it behind at your apartment all alone all day? Look at his face!" I reached a hand up and started scratching the Erus's head the way cats always loved to have it scratched, and he made a cute face and started purring. It was perfect. _Glad he's playing along, _I thought.

"Ohhhhhh!" all the women in the elevator cried out at once. Even as we reached our floor and got out to begin work for the day, they chattered away about how adorable the cat was, and how sweet I was for rescuing it and taking it to work for me.

I was glad to get to my cubicle and get to work, away from their attention.

**_That was amusing, _**the Erus said, although he didn't sound very amused. **_Although it wasn't the truth. Why didn't you tell them who I am? Also, I seem to recall that I was the one who rescued you from the dog, not the other way around. _**

Was he upset? I glanced at him sheepishly. "Err… that is… well that's true but, I didn't think it was a good idea to tell them you're… well… an alien. Think of it this way… it lowers their suspicion of you, and gives you the freedom to do what you like. No one questions a cat, but an alien they would either try to fight, detain, or who knows?" I couldn't understand why he was upset. I'd just made his life easier!

Jumping off my shoulder and landing on my desk, he sat down and stared into my face, studying me. After a minute, he smiled. **_I believe you were trying to protect me, _**he said, sounding both astonished and pleased. **_And here I thought you were being disrespectful. _**

Disrespectful? I frowned, a little confused. "Why would I be disrespectful?" I asked.

He started purring at once, and reaching his head forward, he gave me an affectionate rub. **_Takato, _**he said, sounding pleased. **_I'm glad that I found you. _**

Smiling a little, I scratched him back, petting him the way cats preferred. I figured that since he had the form of a cat, he probably liked the same things. Right? "Actually, I believe I found you," I teased, "not the other way around."

**_Don't push it, _**he purred. **_But yes, I'll give you that one. I probably would be wandering the Earth still, if you hadn't jumped in like that. _**

"Why don't you tell me more about yourself?" I asked, intrigued. "I mean, why were you wandering the Earth? Why do Erus need Cifras? How does being Human make me a Cifra? And why don't you have names? I really don't understand any of this."

**_You don't really need to. Don't worry about it, Takato. _**

"I do need to know," I insisted. As I worked on emails, reports, and the numbers I had to calculate for our latest marketing campaign, I gave the cat a determined glare that I'd found had always made people tell me what I wanted to know. Rika used to say it was impossible to ignore. Besides, if an alien cat was going to claim me as his Cifra—whatever the heck that was—and hang out with me everywhere I went, I needed to know what it entailed. "You have certain expectations of me now, and I don't even know what they are. Don't you think it's better for your sake that I know everything?"

He just studied me, purring, and then began to clean himself. Like a cat. But I waited, still staring at him expectantly, until he finished his cleaning and lifted his head. His eyes sparkled with amusement and curiosity. **_Very well, _**he said. **_I will try to explain._**

"Thank you," I said.

He nodded once. **_Erus come from a different world than this. On my original world, there were two types of beings; Erus and Cifras. The Erus are formless, and must find the form of something else that fits their personality on each different world they go to. The Cifras have a fixed form, and can live life independently. However, Cifras do not have magic, and are virtually weak when coming upon dangers of great magnitude. Erus live indefinitely, while Cifras have a fixed lifespan and then die. _**He glanced at me. **_Do you understand so far? _**

"I'm not stupid," I rolled my eyes. "So basically, you're an Erus—meaning you have magic and live forever—and because you don't have your own form you chose that of a cat when you came to Earth because it fit your personality best. I am a Cifra because I am mortal, and have a definite form. Correct?"

**_Yes. _**He purred once, and then continued. **_The Cifras depended on us to survive, and we Erus each chose one Cifra to be our own, in order to greater magnify our magic. We are not dependant on Cifras, but we were able to grow stronger if we had one. But it was beneficial to both, for we could protect the Cifras, and be with them so that they would never be alone._**

**_Eventually, though, the Cifras all died, and we were forced to move on. We have jumped from three planets so far, and this is our fourth. We are grateful that there are so many humans, and that they seem to be thriving instead of dying out. We may never have to leave. _**

I wasn't sure if his explanation was making me anxious or interested. "Why humans, though? I mean, why not disguise yourselves as humans, and choose animals to be your Cifras?"

**_It is preferable to have a form that fits our personality. Humans are too different for any of us to try and copy their form. You are too complex. On the other hand, we need intelligent beings as our Cifras, or it will not work well. Humans are the most intelligent beings on the planet. _**

"Some animals are considered extremely intelligent," I pointed out. "Like the dolphin."

**_And yet, no animal—including the dolphin—has the ability to reason, make decisions, or change even their own mannerisms, strengths, and weaknesses in order to deal with different situations. Animals are locked into unchanging patterns. Humans create their own patterns. You are the best Cifras we have ever encountered. _**

I felt oddly pleased. I guess humans were pretty amazing…If I thought about it. Not that I was being egotistical or anything… "Thanks," I said slowly. "I guess. But what I don't understand is how Cifras help you magnify your power."

The cat shifted his weight, eyeing me carefully, before letting out a sigh. **_I have not shown you that yet, _**he said gently. **_Because it will drain you terribly. I have decided to give you grace for today, and hold off as long as possible, but that will change if situations demand it. _**

"What kind of situations?" I asked, instantly nervous. Drain me terribly? What?

**_If you are insubordinate, _**he yawned. **_Or if I need to fight._**

"Fight what?" My voice was almost a squeak.

**_Other Erus. We are very territorial, and some of us tend to be haughty and proud. Our ego can bruise easily, and we often like to flaunt our power over each other. I am not so easily provoked, but if I were challenged, I could not refuse. _**

"And then you would…drain me?"

He chuckled, the same strange cat-purr like chuckle I had heard before. **_Don't be so nervous. Yes, the process is draining, but you will enjoy it. It will probably be the most incredible feeling you've ever had. _**

I shivered, not comforted, and focused on my work. My mind kept spinning as I tried to figure everything out. What the hell had I gotten myself into?

-o-

Several hours later, Satou-san—another coworker in my marketing group—peered into my cubicle. "Ah, Matsuda-san… Nakamura-san would like to see you in his office."

I glanced up at him, having been completely immersed in my work, and then suddenly realized what he had said. "Oh! Yes, yes I'll be right over there, thank you."

Bowing his head slightly, Satou moved on, pausing only briefly so that he could stare at the relaxed form of the black cat, perched calmly on the edge of my desk.

I sighed, standing up and straightening my suit. What could my boss want?

The Erus lifted his head, watching me, and then jumped onto my shoulder. **_I'd better come, _**he said, his voice serious.

Not questioning him, mostly because I was afraid to, I walked out and headed toward the office of my manager. I knocked briefly at the door, heard the permission to enter, and slipped inside.

"Please close the door," Nakamura-san said, bowing his head briefly at me.

I did so, and when I turned back around, he motioned for me to take a seat in the chair across from him. "Excuse me for taking your time," I replied, sitting down and bowing my head respectfully. "How can I help?"

"Ah, Matsuda-san," my boss chuckled, also taking a seat. "This is what I like about you, so eager to do an excellent job. I am very pleased with your work."

Was this about a promotion? Excitement growing in me, I focused on staying calm and professional. "It's my pleasure, sir," I bowed.

"Ah, but I have called you in for another reason," he added, shifting uncomfortable. Well, that was disappointing. His eyes darted over to the cat that was seated on my shoulder, looking nervous. "I actually called you in because I hear you are bringing a cat to work."

I froze. Oh no… he wasn't going to fire me for that, was he? Inwardly panicking, I almost opened my mouth to try and persuade him that it wasn't hindering my work, when I suddenly saw the bird perched on _his _shoulder. My explanation died in my throat. Could it be…that he was worried that my cat would eat his bird? "Yes sir," I said instead. "I got him only last night, and would like to keep him with me if that's alright. He is very well behaved, though."

Nakamura-san coughed, almost like he was concealing a laugh. It surprised me. "Ah, well that is good," he said. "I should hope that you also, will stay well behaved."

I paused, confused. What? Me? What was he trying to say? "O-of course…" I replied.

What?

**_Takato, _**the cat suddenly spoke to me in my mind. His voice was serious. **_I'm afraid you do not understand what is happening here. _**

I glanced at it, then back at my boss. My eyes drifted down to rest on the little bird that sat all too still, watching us.

Oh good Lord…

**_Yes. That is an Erus. _**

"You don't need to worry about me or my cat, Nakamura-san," I said, anxious to keep the conversation going. It had suddenly dawned on me that there was some kind of power-play going on between his bird and my cat, and we were caught up in the mess of it. What was I supposed to say?

**_Don't worry, that Erus is the patient type. He has not challenged me, or even spoken up during this conversation. It seems his Cifra—your boss—is speaking to you on his own. _**The cat turned his head, as though bored, and simply began to stare out the window. **_You have nothing to worry about from us. _**

Relieved, I let out a small sigh. But then, I didn't really know what to say anymore. We both had Erus, and it seemed like we both knew. But where did we go from there?

My boss cleared his throat. "Matsuda-san," he began, sounding nervous. "I just wanted to bring you in here to inform you that it is alright for your cat to come to work with you. And in the event that you are… detained… for any reason, and find yourself late to meetings or to work, please feel free to let me know. It is perfectly acceptable. I understand how demanding pets can be, sometimes."

Feeling anxious—especially since I didn't know what he meant by "detained"—I just offered him a respectful bow. "Thank you for your understanding," I said.

"Thank you for your hard work," he bowed back, dismissing me.

I stood, bowed again, and headed out the door. It was a huge relief to get back to my cubicle and sit down, but the stress of the situation had made me extremely light-headed. As the cat jumped off my shoulder and back onto the desk, I just held my head and tried to calm my breathing. "Well that was stressful," I whispered.

The cat rubbed his head against one of my hands affectionately. **_You handled yourself very well. Don't worry too much about it. _**

"I still don't understand what happened in there," I admitted. "I mean, what was his point in saying those things to me? Was he threatening me? And what did he mean by 'detained?' I'm so confused…"

**_It's because you still don't know, _**the cat sighed. **_But it's alright, you don't need to worry. It was a very serious situation though, and it would be a good idea for you to know. Therefore, I will tell you. _**

I dropped my hands, looking at him in the eyes. "Thanks," I murmured. Oh great. Tell me what?

He nodded, smiling. **_He called you in to confirm whether I was just a pet, or an Erus, _**he explained. **_After confirming that, he had to see if there would be problems between you and him. You see, his Erus and I are both very strong, and often two Erus who are similar in strength will challenge each other on sight. He was relieved to see that neither of us had an interest in fighting. _**

**_However it left a problem. As your boss, you have to answer to him, but you also have to answer to me. So for him to say that it is acceptable for you to be detained by me, he was giving you the freedom to obey me as necessary, and not worry about work. It was very thoughtful of him. _**

"Wow…" I frowned. "But you don't seem like the type to make me ignore work or anything like that just on a whim. When—or why—would you 'detain' me?"

**_You assume that my life revolves around yours, _**he purred, amused. **_It does not. Instead, you are allowed to continue in your own life for as long as I choose, but now that I have you, it is my will that governs your life. _**

"That kind of sounds like slavery," I scowled.

He sighed, shaking his head. **_I do not want a slave. I want a Cifra. It is better for both of us if you submit willingly._**

I glared at him, but did not argue. Something told me it was safer if I didn't.

**_Anyway, _**he continued, **_it seems that your boss is not the only one who has an Erus here are work. There are several people here, so it is quite surprising that none of them have been fighting each other. My only conclusion is that your boss's Erus is quite strong, and defeats the Erus of any Cifras who work for him. This whole building is his territory, and he is quite able to defend it. It is to our advantage to not pick a fight. _**

"Basically you're just saying that the little bird is ridiculously strong, and though I have several coworkers who have Erus, the bird defeated them all," I clarified, shaking my head. A thought dawned on me, though, and I grinned a little as I asked it. "So when you came with me, you came to protect me, right?"

**_Partially, yes. You are my Cifra, after all. _**

"But you didn't fight, and he didn't challenge you either," I continued. "That either means you are equally strong, or you're much weaker than he is, or…" I grinned. "Or you are stronger, but chose not to fight because you'd rather avoid a power-play."

**_Are you trying to determine my strength? _**He sniffed. **_You needn't concern yourself with that. _**

"Personally I think you're stronger," I shrugged. "But you're smart, and patient."

**_I'm not sure what you're after, but flattery will not get it for you, Takato. _**

"I'm not after anything," I chuckled. "I'm just trying to figure you out." But I gave up, and went back to work, my mind only half focusing on the report.

-o-

_Hope it wasn't too wordy or confusing, but I wanted to do a little more explaining before I get the story kicking.  
_

_Oh, and just thought you should know... This story is one that I've already finished, though I'm only just putting it up now. I thought, if I'm going to start a whole new story, it had better be something I won't get half way through and then just abandon. _

_You guys would probably kill me if I did that again. _

_~ Rukatofan_


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